Wednesday, June 25, 2014

As the weather warms the algae blooms in shallow waterfueled by lawn chemical run off from the pond watershed.and strong sunlight.

Homeowners have to be weaned off their lawn chemical dependency. Learn how to have a healthy lawn naturally.Save money, their health, that of their family memberspets and neighbors.

Knotweed has reappeared on Berkshire South, about 50feet East of foot of Lenox Ave. If not eradicated, now, itwill spread throughout the pond park and adjacent residential properties.

The City has begun to fill in pathways with bluestone gravel flour, once again. Easy to apply, but it becomes slippery when wet, because the rock flour compacts anddoes not drain well .

It will simply wash away on sloping pathways, with nextheavy rains forming gulleys.

The red ribbons marking dangerous dead tree limbs/branches are obscured by vegetative growth or have been removed by vandals who also destroy the nylon ropes on the Milner Ave footbridge.The dead branches/trees still present a hazard topedestrians below, particularly on windy days. Does the City want more law suits frominjuries?

No large rocks or a guard rail have been installedat the foot of Lenox-Berkshire South. Will we haveto wait until an out of control speeding vehicle failsto make the turn in the road and drops down on somepeople walking their children and pets on the path below?.

Jack and Carl are doing a fine job grooming thepond shore the North side.

The edges of the wooded pathway between Lenoxand Rafts Way need to be mowed to reduce chancesof passersby and pets picking up ticks.The pathway along Rafts Way is well mowed, and a nice border of yellow wildflowers is about to bloom along the pond side of the path. The City has installedsome hanging flower baskets on the poles.

The basket ball hoop at the foot of Holmes Daleis gone. Good. Some neighbors are still dumpingyard wastes on the wooded side of the path. Compost these in their own yards.Nature has it's own woodland rejuvenation plan for the park.Observe sugar maple and other native seedlingsspringing up here and there along Rafts Way andthe wooded pathway Holmes Dale-Lenox.Care should be taken, not to cut them down as brush. Clear around the seedlings and make sure that vines do not attach and strangle them.Watch your eyes when walking along the pathwaysNorth and East side of the pond. Careless fishermanfly casting give little consideration to passersby,Avoid duck/geese droppings on the pathway between the children's play area and the picnic grove.These droppings carry disease. The droppings are more numerous because people still insist uponfeeding the birds.

Bird welfare. Like their human counterparts, the birdsbecome dependent. When Winter arrives they hangaround , instead of migrating, and starve, because noone feeds them then.